Israel has been broadly condemned for an assault its forces carried out on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis that killed at least 21 people, together with 5 journalists, certainly one of whom labored for Al Jazeera.
The assault on Monday consisted of two strikes – or a ‘double faucet’ – the second of which was captured on digital camera, displaying journalists and rescuers on a staircase being straight hit.
Israel has now killed greater than 270 journalists and media employees in Gaza since its conflict began in October 2023. The journalists killed within the Nasser Hospital assault weren’t even all of these killed by Israel on Monday – a sixth journalist, Hassan Douhan, who labored as a correspondent for Al-Hayat al-Jadida newspaper, was killed in a separate incident in Khan Younis in a while Monday.
The journalists killed had been a part of an more and more close-knit however dwindling media neighborhood in Gaza. That they had already endured nearly two years of conflict, which had affected not simply their work but additionally their private lives.
Ahmed Abu Aziz
Ahmed Abu Aziz, 29, was identified amongst colleagues for his quiet manner, humility and kindness.
Able to writing and filming, Ahmed was well-respected amongst Gaza’s media neighborhood, and he labored with quite a few retailers and organisations, together with Center East Eye, Quds Feed and the Unbiased Fee for Human Rights.
The problem of travelling round Gaza through the conflict didn’t cease Ahmed. He would typically journey lengthy distances throughout the Gaza Strip on foot to chase tales and doc Israeli conflict crimes towards Palestinian civilians.
Ahmed married in July final 12 months and was additionally pursuing a doctorate on the Institute of Press and Info Sciences in Tunisia, which mourned his killing and condemned the concentrating on of journalists in Gaza.
Hussam al-Masri
Hussam al-Masri, 49, was a photojournalist with Palestine TV and in addition labored as a contractor for the Reuters information company. Hussam operated a stay video feed for Reuters from Nasser Hospital, which the information company stated “all of the sudden shut down for the time being of the preliminary [Israeli] strike”.
Hussam’s dedication to his work got here whilst he carried private burdens.
Writing on Instagram after Hussam had been killed, journalist Amr Tabash recalled that days earlier, Hussam had requested him in a damaged voice: “Are you able to assist me evacuate my spouse? Her sickness is consuming her, and I can not bear to look at her undergo.”
Amr described Hussam as tireless in serving to others and stated he had been among the many final to depart Nasser Hospital throughout an Israeli siege in December. Amr requested that folks assist Hussam’s spouse now that he’s not in a position to.
“Hussam is gone, and his spouse stays, preventing most cancers alone, carrying double the ache after shedding her associate and assist,” Amr wrote. “For Hussam’s sake, for the mission he devoted his life to, and for his kids, don’t let his spouse face dying in silence.”
Mariam Abu Daqqa
Mariam Abu Daqqa was a 33-year-old Palestinian journalist and mom of a 13-year-old boy named Ghaith.
Out of concern for Ghaith’s security through the conflict, Mariam despatched him to stay together with his father within the United Arab Emirates.
Mariam was a contract photographer working with a number of worldwide businesses, together with The Related Press, and contributed to Unbiased Arabia.
She was well-known amongst her colleagues for her dedication and relentless drive to doc the struggling of the Palestinian folks. She stood on the entrance strains, among the many journalists masking the conflict at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, even beneath repeated Israeli assaults on Gaza.
Mariam documented many human tales that exposed what Palestinians are enduring beneath siege and bombardment.
Mariam was additionally dedicated to her household. She had beforehand donated certainly one of her kidneys to save lots of her father, who had kidney failure. However she couldn’t save her mom, who died from most cancers 4 months in the past attributable to a scarcity of therapy obtainable in Gaza.
Mohammad Salama
Mohammad Salama was a 24-year-old photojournalist and cameraman with Al Jazeera in Gaza. Born in Abasan al-Kabira, east of Khan Younis, he grew up and studied within the city’s faculties.
He joined Al Jazeera as a cameraman in February 2024. He was identified amongst his colleagues for his professionalism, dedication, cheerful smile and light-hearted spirit, even within the darkest circumstances.
Mohammad misplaced his mom in childhood and lived together with his father and family members. In November – on his birthday – he bought engaged to fellow journalist Hala Asfour, hoping to carry a marriage as soon as there was a truce or ceasefire.
Mohammad studied at a vocational faculty, incomes a diploma in pictures. From a younger age, he was keen about photojournalism, taking quite a few programs and shadowing veteran journalists to hone his expertise.
He was one of some journalists left in Khan Younis after an Israeli operation within the metropolis in December 2023, however he was briefly compelled to depart the next February when Israeli forces stormed Nasser Hospital, expelling displaced civilians, journalists and medical groups at gunpoint.
He would later be killed on the similar hospital, the tenth Al Jazeera journalist killed within the conflict.
Moaz Abu Taha
Moaz Abu Taha was a 27-year-old Palestinian freelance video journalist.
One of many youthful era of photojournalists, Moaz documented the devastation of Gaza till his life was lower quick alongside his colleagues.
He was deeply shaken by the killing of fellow Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif two weeks earlier, writing on Fb: “By God, our power is gone.”
Moaz was identified for his humour, kindness and humanity and sometimes helped sufferers, the needy and youngsters.
His brother, journalist Adly Abu Taha, referred to as him up after listening to in regards to the preliminary strike on Nasser Hospital: “I referred to as him instantly. He answered and stated, ‘I’m tremendous, however Hussam al-Masri has been killed. I instructed him, ‘Could God have mercy on him,’ and begged him to depart.”
“He stated, ‘I’ll simply end filming Hussam. Then I’ll go.’ Minutes later, one other strike hit. I referred to as once more. His cellphone was off. I rushed to the hospital, searched in every single place, even within the morgue, till I discovered him, with out a head. I recognised him solely from his garments.”
